Perhaps you’ve been reluctant to sit in crowded waiting rooms filled with sick people, or maybe you can’t take time off of work to go to a doctor’s appointment; either way the best telemedicine companies make it possible to take charge of your health from the comfort of your own home. From general health care needs to specific concerns, telemedicine can connect you directly with health care professionals who are available to assist with diagnosis and treatment for any well-being concerns. Below, we uncover what makes a telemedicine company worth considering and how to find the best option for you. David Copenhaver, M.D., MPH, director of Pain Tele-Health Programs and professor and chief of pain medicine at U.C.–Davis, says that telemedicine’s benefits include convenience and the ability to get care when distance or driving to an appointment are barriers. “For follow-up visits where patients already have a known and established relationship with their clinician, telehealth can be a fabulous way of maintaining contact, describing and surveilling current therapies that the patient is taking, and communicating changes in their care. We’ve even seen telehealth be useful for those of us that do surgeries and perform procedures,” says Copenhaver. He shares that telemedicine can also be useful for checking on a wound or evaluating a patient’s progress. To prepare for getting the most out of a telemedicine visit, Copenhaver says, “One bit of advice for patients is in order to provide the best care for yourself and advocate for yourself, to be a good steward of your medical records and history and come to the visit with a well-prepared understanding [of your medical history] to guide your clinician in helping you.” Telemedicine cannot replace all doctor’s visits. If you are experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, excessive bleeding, a high fever, severe vomiting, seizures, or you think you broke a bone, you should immediately call 911 or go to the emergency room. If you are having suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide Crisis Lifeline at 988, or get to an emergency room right away. While virtual appointments can replace many trips to the doctor for common medical issues, they cannot totally replace a hands-on in-person physical examination. It’s important to still have an open line of communication with your primary health care provider. Communication is done through messages, live chatting, phone calls, and/or video conferencing. Privacy and confidentiality are protected though the platform’s state-of-the-art technology, which follows best practices for encryption and security. Cost: Prices range from $60 to $90 per week What customers say: Rating: 4.6 on Trustpilot, with a 5-star rating by 84% of reviewers One reviewer on Trustpilot said, “Betterhelp has changed my life; BetterHelp and the highly qualified therapists they connected me with have saved my life many times over. The platform and service they provide have made finding help for my situation so much easier than before. There is for me no better solution than BetterHelp.” When making an appointment, you’ll be able to choose from over 80 specialties for telemedicine or in-person appointments. Options include appointments for prescription refills, skin consultations, dentistry, therapy, and more. You can search for doctors, dentists, and nurse practitioners based on your needs and preferences, and then choose the appointment based on your budget and schedule. Prior to setting the appointment, you can also see the profiles of board-certified physicians that are available, including active licensure, years of practice, education, training, and specializations. Virtual appointments are held through a secure online telehealth platform, and payments are made through Stripe, a secure third-party HIPAA-compliant payment platform. Cost: Visits start at $39/visit for non-members and $19/visit for members What customers say: Rating: 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with a 5-star rating by 77% of reviewers One reviewer on Trustpilot said, “I had a great experience using this service. I found it so easy and the doctor was very helpful and personable. I will use this again if needed.” You can also get discount prescription prices when used with GoodRx coupons at pharmacies including Safeway, Costco, Walgreens, and Target. Creating a free account on the RxCare website allows you to schedule visits and message with providers through the platform. Information is stored in an encrypted HIPAA-compliant manner. Cost: Visits start at $19/visit with a Gold membership ($9.99 a month) or $49/visit without a membership What customers say: Rating: GoodRx has a 3.4 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, with a 5-star rating by 81% of reviewers (Reviewers reviewed both the pharmacy discount service and telehealth service on this page.) One reviewer on Trustpilot said, “I don’t even know what to say, other than thank you, thank you, and thank you. The online telehealth is so quick and easy. Had problems with anxiety which leads to ED. I signed up for their Gold plan, late at night, woke up, answered a few questions and had prescription ready by noon. I will continue to use their services after the easy process. Saved me time and lots of money. I have really good insurance and their services still ended up being cheaper. When scripts are at an all-time high GoodRx seems to always save the day. Thanks again GoodRx.” Some perks that PlushCare offers are a free 30-day trial to see if it meets your needs (and refunds for those who are unhappy with their service). Members also get unlimited in-app messaging to their care team for information and support, which makes it easier to partake in preventive care. Plus, Plushcare offers same-day appointments and can usually deliver health care advice with a board-certified doctor within 15 minutes of your request. Cost: $14.99/month or $99/year for membership. For self-pay, new visits are $129 and follow-ups are $69. For those with in-network insurance, most visits are $30. What customers say: Rating: 4.3 out of 5 on TrustPilot, with a 5-star rating by 86% of reviewers One reviewer on TrustPilot said, “Impressed how easy it was and how quick I was able to talk to a Dr and get the medication I needed all within hours of setting up the appointment.” Appointments can be made for a wide range of conditions in urgent care, primary care, mental health, dermatology and more, with visits available 24/7. You can search through the platform’s network of board-certified doctors to find the one that is right for your needs or get an appointment with the first available doctor. Cost: MDLive accepts most insurance plans, and appointments could cost as little as $0 depending on health benefits but will vary based on your plan. If you don’t have insurance, MDLive will show you the cost of the visit before it begins. What customers say: Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, with a 5-star rating by 82% of reviewers One reviewer on Trustpilot said, “The Dr I spoke with was very professional, understanding and thorough. I was able to get through quickly and was able to get on antibiotics within 2 hrs of our phone call. Will definitely use this service again! Thank you!!” Cost: Depending on the insurance plan, visits may cost $0. Without insurance, general medicine visits are $75/visit and specialty visits vary in price. What customers say: Rating: 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with a 5-star rating by 76% of reviewers One reviewer on Trustpilot said, “The doctor was quick and informative and provided a solution to the issue that was presented. Thanks Teladoc!” According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), telehealth refers more broadly to the technology and health care services used to provide care. While telemedicine refers to clinical services, telehealth can include nonclinical services.
